Foldable closure for openings in walls



S. J. M CARTHY FOLDABLE CLOSURE FOR OPENINGS IN WALLS Filed Sept. 12, 195

June 8, 1954 3' Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. V

a T/INLFY I MC 0427? 4 r e V June 8, 1954 5, J. cc- 'T 2, 680I4'81 7' FOLDABLE CLOSURE FOR OPENINGS IN WALLS 7 Filed Sept. 12, 1952 INVENTOR. V \JTANLEY J'MCARTHY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 8, 1954 s. .1. MCCARTHY FOLDABLE CLOSURE FO Filed Sept. 12, 1952 R OPENINGS IN WALLS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. L

Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE CLOSURE FOR OPENIN GS IN WALLS Stanley J. McCarthy, Indianapolis, Ind.

Original application Ma Divided and 1952, Serial N 80,906. her 12,

rch 11,

this application Septem- 3 Claims. (01. 160206) The present application is a division of my copending application Serial Number 80,906 filed March 11, 1949, now U. S. Patent 2,616,497 and relating to a Foldable Closure for an Opening in a Wall.

This invention relates to a foldable closure for the door in parts in folded relationship. taken on line 'l-'! of Fig. 1 the trackway for the rollers. section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 showing means for connecting a roller member with a section of the door.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of a building such as a garage showing a to the top of an opening.

Fig. 10 is tions as being foldable in a vertical plane.

I-Ieretofore closures for an opening are moved structure the leaves are ioldabie one at a time to parallel relation to the door opening.

In the preferred construction shown in Fig. 1, the side members are shown at l of the member is of rectangular form wall of which is shaped a slot 5 between upturned ends 6 and 3 1s a trackway 4 which in cross section, the lower to provide an elevation showing the door sec- H Between the the rail 4 are door opening. The door is preferably formed of which consists of vent flow of air between the lower trackway and the upper end of the sheets I 7'. The lower ends of the sheets 17 are in pivotal relation as indicated at 2| in Fig. 1.

edge of the free end of the is provided on the inner side of the free end of the door by means of either of position.

The respective sections I? are joined to each other at their tops and bottoms, there being provided outwardly projecting flanges 24 in parallel spaced relation which are arranged normally of the general plane of the section and are upon the side thereof corresponding to the direction of the adjacent curved portion.

The respective flanges upon one side of a section are arranged in overlapping relation with the corresponding adjacent flanges of the adjacent section and are pivotally or hingedly joined to each other by the rivets 2i as shown in the drawings. The aforesaid flanges are formed by extensions of the section adjacent the curved portions which are bent over normally oi the plane of the section in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5.

It is believed obvious from the foregoing description that the door may be used in an opening in an interior wall of a building to separate two rooms and of such width that when the door is opened the two rooms become a unit. The device may also be used on a small scale as a closet door.

The subject matter of Figs. 1-8 in the present application is disclosed and claimed in my copending patent application Serial Number 80,906, filed March ll, 194.9, of which the present application is a divisional part thereof.

The claims hereinafter set forth are specifically directed to the portion of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10, which relate to oldahle closure for anopening in with a pair of upright channelled trachways ll oi the same construction shown in e. 1 and 1.

By the construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the door is opened and closed by vertical raising and lowering. However, the construction of the door and its hingedly interconnected sections is exactly the same as that above described in connection with Figs. 1-3. Furthermore, the hi1:- ages i3 and theirpivotal connections between the various sections are exactly the same as that abovedescribcd in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 6.- The various sections ll which make up the vertically movable door are of exactly the same structure as above described in connection with Figs. 1', 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The formation of the flange plates upon the opposite ends of the door sections, upon opposite sides thereof, corresponding to the direction of the corresponding curved portions of sections as at i9, is exactly the same as above described in connection with Figs. 1-5. The connection of the pins it with the brackets it upon the door sections ll is exactly the same as above described inconnection with Figs. 1 and 8, except that the brackets it are arranged the opposite ends of sections it shown in Fig. 10.

The only diflerence between the structure of Fig. and the structure described in connection with Figs. 1-8 is that the door sections as interconnected are movable vertically instead of horizontally, and furthermore instead of one set of guide rollers l and 3 whereby the door sections were suspended ilar guide rollers at the opposite ends of each of the sections ll which are vertically movable a building wall in conjunction within the opposed channel track-ways 4 which are arranged in an upright position upon the sides oithe door opening.

Furthermore, it will be noted that there is provided a horizontally elongated bracket H5 at the upper end of the door opening in Fig. ill, which is secured to the adjacent wall and which has a arcuately formed longitu receive downwardly depending "1 mm lfi"adal3ilfid to cooperatively in Fig. 1, there are provided sim-- in overlapped relation a similarly formed longitudinal edge portion of the upper-most section li', which is of less width than the other section ll. It is apparent furthermore that there are depending flanges 3 at the opposite ends of bracket It which are pivotally connected as at 2' to the corresponding flanges 25 of the uppermost door section H.

The door may be progressively raised and lowered manually by the handle 22 shown in Fig. 10 in the same manner as said handle is employed for opening and closing the door shown in Fig. 1. It is contemplated that a mechanical device could be employed for raising the lowermost door section 23, which in turn would eliect 2. corresponding progressive elevation of the other door sections ll.

Fig. 9 shows a central securing bracket 26 which depends from the upper central portion of the building wall above the door opening and whose lower end projects inwardly of said opening as at 2? to retainingly engage the lowermost section 23 for holding the same and the collapsed door in its upper-"host open position.

Having described my invention, should now be had to the claims determining the scope thereof.

1 claim:

1. In a foldable closure for an opening in a building wall including opposed upright channelled track-ways upon opposite sides of said opening, a plurality of elongated upright door sections of sheet metal, a horizontally directed pin mounted centrally upon the opposite end edges of each section, rollers swivelled upon said pins and movahly mounted and supported within said trackways for suspending said door sections within said opening and for guiding the vertical opening and closing movements or said sections, the opposite longitudinal edge portions of each section throughout their length being curved outwardly in opposite directions from the opposite faces oi said sections, the corresponding curved edges of adjacent sections being arranged in overlapped engagement with each other, flange plates at the opposite ends of said edge portions at right angles to the planes of said sections and extending in the direction of the corresponding curve portion, means pivotally interconnecting adjacent flange plates of adjacent sections whereby said sections may be elevated along said trachways and foldably collapsed into substar- .al parallel engaging relation adjacent the top or" said building opening, a horizontally elongated bracket secured to said wall along the top of said opening, parallel flanges depending downwardly from the opposite ends of said bracket at right angles thereto, and parallel flange plates at the upper opposite ends of the upper-most section at right angles thereto and pivotally joined to and suspended from said bracket flanges.

2. In a foidable closure for an opening in a building wall including opposed upright channelled trackways upon opposite sides or" said opening, a plurality of elongated upright door sections of sheet metal, a horizontally directed pin mounted centrally upon the opposite end edges of each section, rollers swivelled upon said pins and movably mounted and supported within said trackways for suspending said door sections within said opening and for guiding the vertical opening and closing movements of said sections, the opposite longitudinal edge portions of each section throughout their length being curved outwardly in opposite directions from the opposite faces of reference which follow for edges of each section corresponding to the pnosaid edge portions and upon the opposite sides of Site ends of said edge poitions being bent over each section corresponding to the direct on of normally of the plane of said sections in the dieach curved portion, the corresponding flanges of rection of the corresponding curved portion deadjacent sections being arranged in overlapped mg flanged plates which aie overlapp d berelation means pivotally mteiconnecting said tween sections, and means pivotally intercom plates whereby said sections may be elevated necting said plates whereby said sections may be along said trackways and foldably collapsed into there being a bracket at the top of said building the top of said building opening, a horizontally opening, the flanged plates at the upper opposite elongated bracket secured to said wall along the ends of the upper-most section being pivotally top of said opening, and parallel flange plates suspended upon said bracket. at the opposite ends of the upper-most section 3. n a foldable closure for an opening in a at right angles thereto and pivotally joined to and building wall including opposed upright chansuspended from the opposite ends of said bracket.

nelled trackways upon opposite sides of said opening, a plurality of elongated upright door sections References Cited in the fi f this pa t of sheet metal, a horizontally directed pin mount- UNITED STATES PATENTS ed centrally upon the opposite end edges of each section, rollers swivelled. upon said pins and movi gggg s Ntlme J 2 ably mounted and supported with said trackways 2134397 f 5 1935 for suspending said door sections within said 2537566 Z 2 5 1951 opening and for guiding the vertical opening and 25 2577884 an e n e a closing movements of said sections, the opposite Garubo 1951 longitudinal edge portions of each section FOREIGN PATENTS hroughout their length being curved outwardly Number Country Date in opposite directions from the opposite faces of 27982 Great Britain 1913 said sections, the corresponding curved edges of 3 459,981 Great Britain Feb. 19, 1936 

